Protest in Jos over killings

Hundreds of Christian faithful, under the banner of the Church Denominational Leaders Forum in Plateau State, staged a protest in Jos on Monday to condemn the persistent and deadly attacks across the state. Marching through the streets with placards bearing messages such as “The Ground Cries Blood,” “Every Human Life Matters,” “We Deserve to Live,” […]

Hundreds of Christian faithful, under the banner of the Church Denominational Leaders Forum in Plateau State, staged a protest in Jos on Monday to condemn the persistent and deadly attacks across the state.

Marching through the streets with placards bearing messages such as “The Ground Cries Blood,” “Every Human Life Matters,” “We Deserve to Live,” and “No More Silence, Peace Now,” the demonstrators voiced their outrage and sorrow over recent violence that has claimed more than 100 lives in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas (LGAs).

These LGAs have been frequent targets of violent attacks in recent months.

Between March 28 and April 16, 2025, locals reported over 100 fatalities, multiple injuries, and widespread destruction of homes.

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The deadliest of these attacks occurred on April 14, when 52 people-mostly women and children-were killed in the Zikke community of Bassa.

Adding to the tension, another incident occurred three days later involving the alleged poisoning of 36 cattle near the Tafi Gana junction in Bassa LGA.

Dressed mostly in black, the protesters marched from the old Government House in Rayfield to the new Government House in Little Rayfield under the aegis of the Church Leaders Denominational Forum.

They decried the government’s failure to apprehend perpetrators or halt the violence.

The group presented a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

It was signed by Rev. Dr Amos Mohzo (COCIN President and Chairman of the Denominational Leaders Forum), Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo (CAN Chairman, Plateau State), and Rev. Dr Gideon Para-Mallam (Secretary of the Forum and President of the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation).

In the letter, the signatories condemned what they called “Unprovoked, horrific, barbaric, and persistent attacks on innocent communities.”

Reading the letter aloud to the governor, Rev. Amos Mohzo emphasised that the killings were not communal clashes but calculated and premeditated acts of terror.

“We reject the narrative of retaliatory clashes. These are acts of terror, and the truth must not be sacrificed on the altar of political convenience,” he said.

The church leaders urged the federal government to strengthen security infrastructure, establish and equip community policing units, and conduct thorough investigations into the attacks.

In response, Governor Mutfwang thanked the protesters for their peaceful demonstration and assured them of his collaboration with President Tinubu to end the violence.

He emphasised the need for all Nigerians to unite against the ongoing bloodshed.

 

 

Shettima absent in Jos

Vice President Kashim Shettima cancelled his scheduled visit to Jos, Plateau State, which was earlier announced by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.

Yilwatda, while on a condolence visit to the Zikke community-where 52 people were recently killed-had announced that the vice president would be in Jos on Monday for a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at addressing the ongoing violence in the state.

During his visit, the Minister said, “My heart is with you, and I also convey the condolences of Mr. President, who is deeply concerned about the situation. Just last week, the National Security Adviser was here, and on Monday, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be here to engage with stakeholders in Plateau State, because Mr. President insists these killings must stop.”

However, the vice president was noticeably absent from Monday’s expected engagement, and no official statement was released to explain the sudden cancellation.

Sources who spoke to Daily Trust said the decision to call off the visit may not be unconnected to the large-scale protest staged by Christian groups in the state.

While the true reason for Shettima’s cancelled trip remains unconfirmed, the timing of the protest and the vice president’s absence have raised questions about the federal government’s response to the security crisis in Plateau State.

 

Governor Mutfwang holds emergency security meeting

Later on Monday, Governor Caleb Mutfwang convened an emergency security meeting with stakeholders to develop a roadmap for peace, unity and collective action in Plateau State.

Held at the New Government House in Little Rayfield, the meeting was attended by prominent Plateau citizens, including former governors, serving and former senators, current and past members of the House of Representatives, former ministers, traditional rulers and religious leaders from both the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Governor Mutfwang stated that the goal of the gathering was to find lasting solutions to the persistent attacks on rural communities.

While acknowledging that the violence predates his administration and those of past leaders such as Joshua Dariye, Jonah Jang and Simon Lalong, he called for unity beyond political, ethnic, and religious affiliations.

He said, “This gathering is necessary. We have lost countless lives. The crisis has deeply disturbed me and also President Tinubu, who personally called me for a briefing. Since then, we have been working around the clock.

“No senatorial district has been spared-kidnappings in Shendam and Kanke, terror cells in Kanam and Wase. Criminals are exploiting weakened state capacity and rising communal divisions.”

He questioned the ongoing framing of attacks as clashes.

“How can bandits occupy the Wase grazing reserve and it’s still called a clash? When gunmen massacre villagers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, is that a clash?” he asked.

He urged Plateau’s diverse communities to unite against the crisis and warned against politicising the violence or adopting a self-centred approach.

 

MACBAN protests exclusion from stakeholder meeting

The Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) expressed disappointment over its exclusion from the emergency security meeting convened by Governor Mutfwang.

In a statement signed by State Chairman, Ibrahim Yusus Babayo, the group criticised the government for not involving Fulani leaders and stakeholders in a meeting of such significance.

“MACBAN expresses surprise and concern over being excluded from a security meeting held by the Plateau State government on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the Banquet Hall, New Government House.

“As a key stakeholder, our participation would have allowed our voices and concerns to be heard. We are unaware of the reasons behind our exclusion and urge the government to ensure inclusivity and fairness by engaging with the Fulani community in future discussions,” the statement said.